Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Simple, Natural, No-Squeeze Remedy to Pimples

To Pop or Not to Pop?

Pimples beg for a squeeze, but do not give in too easily!Popping your pimples can lead to scarring and infection. It can result to a painful blemish or a cyst, and you don't want any cysts at all because you'd need a physician for that, and that makes pimples doubly stressful (cyst plus expenses).

There are homemade, natural, and practical remedies for pimples that you can try. American make-up artist, entrepreneur, and blogger Michelle Phan have several tips.I'm going to share with you only what I've tried because it worked for me.

Simple, Natural, and No-Squeeze Remedy to Pimples

Probably because of stress, I got a pimple yesterday. It's most conveniently located at that corner of my nose, where my nose meets my cheek, right there at the corner. Just by seeing it, I feel so stressful I could imagine it inflating from additional emotional stress.Instead of popping it, I figured that since I love natural products, I'd research it first. I found out that baking soda paste can dry it instantly. By instantly, I'm not saying you just put it there and voila, the pimple is gone in a second, not even three seconds. By instant, I'm saying it's simple and easy to do.What do I see after trying my DIY solution? You got that right, no more pimple! The pus is gone! Hurrah baking soda and water!

What to Do to Annihilate that ZitFirst, you need baking soda and a bit of warm water.

You have to make a paste out of the water and baking soda. Just put a little baking soda and add some warm water (the warmer the better, but definitely not scalding hot) on a saucer and mix them. Don't add too much water because it will make it runny. You need the paste hard enough to stick on that nasty zit.After the paste is ready, put it on your zit. You can feel a sting because baking soda is salty. Let it stay there for 30 minutes (I was cleaning our car while waiting for it to dry, so just do your own thing). After that, wash the baking soda paste out with warm water well.

Simple, natural, no need to pop. Practical solutions are right there in your kitchen. It's that easy to make your own simple, natural, no-squeeze pimple solution.

Cheers to one more reason to love baking soda!

A Lifestyle that Fends off Pimples

Apart from quick and easy solutions, there are ways to help prevent pimples through making lifestyle changes (unless you already have this kind of lifestyle).Ayren Jackson-Cannady of WebMD wrote the article "10 Lifestyle Changes You Can Make to Deal With Acne" that I will summarize for you.Here are some important habits that can clear acne the natural way:1) Get enough sleep.“Stress increases glucocorticoid production, which can lead to abnormalities in skin structure and function, exacerbating conditions like acne,” says Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, a dermatologist in Danville, Calif. Sleep helps us manage stress, so getting enough sleep can diminish stress, and with reduced stress, the less prone you will be to acne.What is the meaning of enough sleep?2) Cut back the sugar.Some kinds of foods result to higher blood glucose which stimulates an insulin boost and produces inflammation on a cellular level, says Badreshia-Bansal. Too much insulin can can result to hormonal changes that can lead to an "overactive oil gland activity."Eat more whole grains, beans, and vegetables to have fewer breakouts.3) Exercise.Exercise reduces stress, improves circulation that pumps up oxygen to our skin cells and removes cellular wastes, and boosts our immune system.Shower after workouts though to remove perspiration that can cause breakouts.

4) Drink enough H2O.A study from the University of Missouri-Columbia showed that water enhances blood flow throughout the body and skin. Your skin must have enough water to remove waste materials that cause breakouts and drinking water greatly helps the waste-removing process.How much water do you need?Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. From Mayo Clinic5) Consume Omega-3 Fatty Acids.Omega-3s can reduce the production of leukotriene B4, a molecule that can make sebum and create inflammatory acne. Foods that are rich in Omega-3 are walnuts, avocados, flaxseed oil, and salmon. 6) Clean your face twice a day.Clean your face twice a day, morning and evening, to remove the buildup of dirt and toxins that block your pores. I use baking soda (I put a dash of baking soda on warm water) to wash my face, and I follow it up with raw honey and let it soak in my skin for two to five minutes. After that, I use apple cider vinegar rinse for toning (1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of warm water). I then put light virgin coconut oil (VCO) for moisturizing. Moisturizing is still important even if your face is oily because it helps to naturally hydrate the skin, which can help control oil production. 7) Exfoliate.Exfoliating a few days a week followed by a natural moisturizer can help manage oil glands. I exfoliate every three to four days. Here are some natural exfoliating facial scrubs.8) Clean your cellphones.One of the causes of your breakouts might be your "dirty" cellphone. Wipe your cellphones clean with a sanitizer daily.Basically, making your own simple, natural, no-squeeze remedy recipe is just a short-term fix. It's better to have a lifestyle that can help you avoid breakouts in the first place.

Reminder: Some Limitations

I used this remedy for a small zit, the one that has some pus in it. This remedy does not have a fast effect on larger pimples. For bigger pimples, keep your face clean by washing twice daily with any DIY face wash, and you can also try oil cleansing. Also, keep in mind that a healthy diet and natural-living lifestyle are also staples to removing pimples.

Bust that Zit

Bust that zit without popping it. Scar, not your face, but the habits and food that you think contribute to it.

Have you tried this simple, natural, no-squeeze remedy to pimples? What are the natural ways you do to remove your pimple?

About Me

Hi, I'm Jenny. I'm a home-based researcher and DIY-natural-living blogger, most of the time. But 24/7, I'm a mother of two kids and an Army wife, an eldest sister and a daughter, a friend and a Filipino citizen. I love reading and writing, watching movies, and taking nature trips locally and (hopefully) internationally. I believe in diversity of ideas, ideologies, opinions, and beliefs, and not in lumping them all in delimiting stereotyped labels. I believe in humanity's capacity to realize and accept that we are one soul. No more differences that we have to discriminate or to kill for. Just one soul living in peace and pursuing sustainable development. One humanity, One soul.

Disclaimer

The statements made here have not been approved by government food or drug agencies. These statements cannot diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. My sources are research online, anecdotal evidence, and personal experience. IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, NURSING A BABY, OR EXPERIENCING A SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITION PLEASE CONSULT WITH A QUALIFIED HEALTH PRACTITIONER BEFORE EXPERIMENTING WITH HERBS, ESSENTIAL OILS, AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE AND THERAPIES. I CANNOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY UNDESIRABLE OUTCOME.